1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novelty lighting devices and more particularly to a lighting fixture suspended from an overhead bulb socket and having an internally motorized rotating mirror ball with stationery surrounding light sources to create a disco effect.
2. Description of the Background
The mirror ball is an iconic element of the “disco” era of the 1970's. Mirror balls were prominently featured over numerous dance floors at clubs such as Studio 54 in New York City as well as Brooklyn's fictional 2001 Odyssey, frequented by Tony Manero in 1977's Saturday Night Fever. The mirror ball's prominence in disco's led to it being popularly known as the disco ball although mirror balls date to at least the late nineteenth century. Written accounts of a Boston ballroom dance held in January of 1897 describe lighting displays that included “a carbon arc lamp flashing on a mirrored ball.” Silent movies from the 1920's depict mirrored balls in use in clubs in Germany and they were common elements in establishments ranging from New York speakeasy's to New Orleans jazz clubs of that era. A mirror ball is even visible in background of the Moroccan nightclub in which much of the 1942 classic film Casablanca takes place.
The mirror ball itself is generally a spherical globe 6 to 18 inches in diameter having a series if individual mirrored elements affixed to its surface. The ball may be mounted on a base as a stationary objet d'art or, as is more common in later use, rotatably suspended from above as a lighting effect. When used as an objet d'art, ambient light is reflected from the various mirrored surfaces creating a gentle pattern of light about a room. As a lighting element in dimly lit clubs, and in particular in disco club, a focused beam of light is projected on the ball which is caused to rotate creating a pattern of individual beams/points of light that rotate about the room with the motion of the ball. In modern use the color or intensity of the light source may vary in with music.
After the disco era disco balls were relegated to novelty items but remain popular and have enjoyed something of a resurgence. Use of a disco ball in the home has been made possible by tabletop devices, or battery-powered motorized hanging balls (although the latter requires a hook or the like to be inserted into ceiling and, of course, the regular replacement of batteries). Damage to a ceiling is a concern when a mirror ball is regularly hung and removed as is the ability of the ceiling to support whatever hook or screw the user might use. Such home use devices also require setup of a separate light source.
It would be desirable to provide a mirror ball that can be easily and temporarily hung from an existing ceiling mounted lighting socket without the need to damage the ceiling.
It would further be desirable to provide a mirror ball with rotating mirror and integral light source, all drawing power from a conventional 120VAC light socket from which it is hung in order to avoid the need to replace batteries.
It would further be desirable to provide a mirror ball with motorized rotating mirror and stationery lighting source suspended from a single light socket.
It would further be desirable to provide a mirror ball that is light weight and easy and inexpensive to manufacture.